Internal-combustion engine.



V. J. DIE'EBNDERFER. INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.30, 1911.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

MVL/Zi V. J. DIEFENDERFER. INTERNAL UOMBUSITION ENGINE. APPLIUATIUN FILED 0012.30, 1911.

1,046,280, r Patented 116013, 1912. 3 vSHEETS-SHEET 2.

V. J. DIEFENDERFER. INTERNAL GOMEUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.30,1911,

UNITED ,srATEs PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR J'. DIEFENLEBFER, 0F LLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD T0 CHARLES E. LEER, 0F BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

INTEBNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

I Patented Dec.3,191i2.

Application led October 30, 1911. Serial No. 657`,895.

To all whom. 'it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Vieron J. D mrENf DEBFER, a' citizen of the United States, residing in Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Intornai-Combustion vEngines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combusat proper times tovlgnite char es compressed by one rotor and delivered t ough` theretion engines of the rotary type in which the explosive or combustible mixture is drawn int-o and compressed and red in annular chambers within which pistons are rotated,

land my invention is embodied in an-engine rotary piston-carrying members or rotors, as o they-are usually called, operating in annular chambers may coperate with an intermediate roto-r or abutment in such manner that one piston-carrying rotor may be operated toA Vcompress the combustible mixture in its annular chamber and deliver it by the way of an intermediate or abutment rotor to the annular chamber of. the other pistoncarrying rotor where the mixture is ignited, causlng it to explode and propel said rotor.

By my improvements an explosion may be had during each revolution of vthe engine and the number` of explosions maybe increased by the addition lof other rotors, thus causin -a uniform rotation of the engine and eliminating the necessity for the\use of fly-wheels. By my improvements also the use of sliding pistons and some of the valves cams, etc., often employed in this class of' l; recessed tolfrec'eive', -at proper times, the pistons of the outsiderotors and this recess.

acts as a port to permit the passage of the compressed mixtnrefrom one annular cham 'ber` to the other. The shafts of the three rotors aregeared to rotate at the same speed and are mounted to turn in adjustable bearf ings.

An igniter is provided which isoperated.

cessed abutment to the'other rotor.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows. a' vertical section through an internal combustionongine embodying my improve? ments with the pistonsca-rrying rotors mend elevation. Fig'. 2 shows a vertical section through the bearings of the rotorshafts andl parts associated therewith. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section throughl the engine and'l shows in. top plan an organization. 1n whichtwo abutment rotors are arranged in tan demron the same shaft, and' twopiston-car'- rying rotors are larranged in like -manner'on -.each shaft on opposite sides of the shaft the abutment rotors. Figs. 4. and 5 are sectional views somewhat dia ammatic'- and with some parts omittedillustrating the operation of the en ine.

I preferably emp oy three rotors- A, B andj` C of the same diameter, the two outer rotors A and B havin their axes' inthe same horizontal plane, w ile the intermediate rotor- C' is shown as arrangedz below the plane of the' others, although it might be`v arranged above them. The outer rotors overlap, or arev overlapped by, the intermediate rotor and havea rolling contact therewith.v The outer rotors A and Bv carry pistons :gf/,while the intermediate or abutment rotor is formed with a recess c adapted to receive the pistons w, at proper times as the three rotors revolve and: to 'provide a channel for the passage of 'the' combustible mixture from onerotor chamber `\to the other.

The engine casing is suitably constructed to receive the three rotors, and thel intermediate rotor operates in a chamber D between the two chambers E, 'E" of the pistoncarrying rotors. Jackets F, F, F? are proof the outside rotors are provided with adjusting devices H to compensate for wear and to hold the outside rotors in close contact with the intermediate rotor. Preferably, as sho-wn, the bearings are arranged for chain oiling, chambers L being provided for oil and chains Z being employed which pass around the shafts and hang in the oil so that as the shafts revolve the chains are also revolved and thus thorough lubrication ismaintained. The abutment rotor is provided With radially movable spring pressed packing strips I to provide a tight connection between the periphery of this rotor, and the walls'of t-he chamber D, and it may also be provided with suitable packings at its ends. Each piston a', is provided with a packing strip K which is preferably spring pressed and has a slight radial movementl suflicient to provide a tight connection between the outer end of the piston and the walls of the chamber E or E in which it moves. The ends of the rotors are provided with suitable packings which are indicated but which need not be described.

At the top of the chamber E near the ,center of the casing is shown a sparking plug P connected by an ignition passage p with the chamber E and at the bottom of the chamber E is an exit or exhaust passage Q which may lead to a muiier or to the atmosphere. On the other side'of the engine the chamber E connects with an inlet passage R joining a pipe S provided with a valve T which may be operated either automatically or by hand to regulate the supply of the explosive or combustible mixture to the chamber E.

' The mixture is drawn into the chamber E by a revolution ofthe piston m and during the next following revolution this mixture is compressed and at the same time another charge is drawn in. The rotors revolve in -the directions indicated by. the arrows, the pistons w, and recess c occupying the relative positions indicated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. When the piston reaches the position shown in Fig. 4, the mixture is under high compression in the space Y and immediately 'after this the recess c opens to the space Y as shown in Fig. 1 and the compressed mixture passes to the chamber E behind the piston w. The parts then assume the position shown in Fig. 5, the passage between the chambers E, E being closed and the ignition passage p being open. 'At this time the sparker is operated and the explosion occurs. The rotors are then actuated by the explosion of the gases-until the piston passes the port R when the gases exhaust. This operation is repeated during each revolution of therotors and the arrangement is such that the intermediate rotor acts as an abutment for the mixture being compressed and also for the mixture being fired, and it furtons at the proper times an thermore provides the means for establishing at the proper times only communication between the compression and explosion chambers. v v

The engine may be reversed by providing another sparking plug in the chamber E and may be built with any desired number of rotors to obtain any desired number of impulses during each revolution.

claim as my invention:

1. An internal combustion engine, comprising a casing having two annular chambers one for compression and the other for expansion', two rotors carrying pistons operating in said chambers, and an intermediate or abutment rotor in rolling contact with the other two and`having a recess for passing the pistons at the proper times and for also permitting the flow of the compressed mixture from one annular chamber to the other.

2. An internal combustion engine, comprising a casing having two annular chambers one for compression and theother for expansion, two rotors carrying pistons operating in said chambers, an intermediate abutment rotor in rolling contact with the other two and having a recess for passing the pistons and for also permitting the flow of the compressed mixture at the proper time, and means for igniting the compressed mixture in the expansion chamber.'

3,. An internal combustion engine, comprising a casing havingtwo Vannular chambers one for compression and the lother for expansion, two rotors carryingpistons oper ating in said chambers, andan intermediate or' abutment rotor in rolling contact with the other two and which acts as a valve and has a recess for permitting the flow ofthe compressed mixturefrom one annular chamber to the other and for ,also receiving the pistons as they rotate.

4. An internal combustion engine, comprising a casing havinga chamber to which 4 the combustible mixture is admitted and a chamber provided with an exhaust opening, two rotors carrying pistons o erating in said chambers, one vto compress tiie mixture and the other to be driven by the explosive gases, and an intermediate rotor in rolling contact with the other two having a single recess for passing the pistons at the proper time and two rotors carrying pistons operating in saidl chambers, one to compress the mixture and the other to be driven by the exploded gases, and an intermediate rotor overlapped by the other two and in rolling contact therewith having a single recess for assing the pisd) throughvwhich the mixture iiows directly 'from one chamber to the other.

6. An internal combustion engine, comprising a casing having two annular cham-- bers one for compression and the other for 'single recess for passing the pistons at the proper times and which at times directly connects the compression and expansion chambers and permits the iow of the compressed mixture frorn one chamber to the 15 other, a shaft to which the intermediate rotor is secured, and gearing connecting this shaft with the shafts of the other two rotors.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

,VICTOR J. DIEFENDERFER.`

Witnessesz i R. Or'ro WOLLMUTH, A. E. WoLLMU'rH. 

